The Llama Q & A Page Nine Llamas as sheep guards Q. Do Llamas naturally guard sheep or do you need to train them to do that? A. Training a llama to be a sheep guard is not done. Not every llama is suitable as a sheep guard, but usually they take to it just naturally. A few years ago we had a very alert gelding who would alarm call as soon as he saw anything unusual and he was always the first to spot a coyote in the fields behind us. We decided that he would make a great sheep guard, so we went to the livestock auction and bought three sheep that we could put in with him. The idea was that he would learn to guard them and we could advertise him as a trained guard llama. The three sheep didn’t look that big when they were in the auction ring, but were much larger when we tried to load them in the truck. Anyway, we got them home and we put the truck in the llama’s field and opened the tailgate. The three sheep jumped out into the tall grass and decided this was heaven and just started eating. The llama took one look at these strange animals and left for the far side of the pasture.

We waited about fifteen minutes for him to settle down and went inside. A few minutes later there was a great deal of screaming so we rushed outside and found that the gelding had jumped the fence to get away from those awful sheep and was in with the moms and babies. The male in the next field was going nuts at the gelding being in the wrong field (male llamas are very territorial) so we had to round up the gelding and get things quieted down. We moved the sheep into an adjoining field at the back where they were quite content but the gelding would not go near that fence. We moved his feeder gradually down the fence and it took about a month before he would even eat his grain if it was on the back fence. After a month and a half we decided to test it again and let the sheep back into the gelding’s field. Within a few minutes he was over the fence again. We sold him as a pack animal and told the people not to let him near sheep. He settled down amazingly and had geese, goats, horses, other llamas around with no problems whatsoever. He even met a mother bear with a couple of cubs on the road and didn’t panic.

Since then we have learned not to introduce them so quickly. We have sold a number of geldings that were introduced slowly to the sheep by being in a nearby pasture or pen for a couple of days and when they finally were put in with the sheep, started looking after them within a day or so. The sheep were nervous at first, but soon realized that this was a protector not a predator. The answer to your question is that we don’t have trained sheep guards but we judge the ability and attitude of the animals and so far have been extremely satisfied with their performance, as have the new owners. Most male llamas seem to adapt very quickly to guarding as it seems to be a natural ability. The key seems to be to introduce them slowly, putting the llama into an area near the sheep and then putting maybe one or two in with him first. (Not just dumping the sheep into his field as we did.) The sheep may be nervous at first, but will soon realize that the llama is going to look after them. We have found that the llamas are very gentle and protective, particularly with the new lambs. Salvador Dali is a gelding that we recently sold as a sheep guard.

The photo below shows him with part of his flock. Here is a note from his new owners: Have not lost any sheep since Salvador was hired. He not only guards the flock from coyotes and dogs but he also makes sure they all stay together and none of the lambs get left behind. Yesterday, two lambs got left in the barn and were bawling because they did not know where the rest of the flock went. We watched Sal come in from the field and then drive the two lambs out to where the rest of the flock were. Now all we have to do is get him to start throwing down hay from the loft and give the sheep grain every night. Q. I have 30 sheep and have had problems with coyotes, so I was told to get a llama. I use a basic electric fence, with the white poles and black and yellow wire that runs across to keep my sheep in my front pasture, and is about 3 feet tall. It works great for my sheep but will it work for the llama? Or should I invest in a better type of fence? A. Once a llama has touched an electric fence with his nose, he will not likely go near it again.

We had a couple of males that got into a great fight a few years ago and roared out into the neighbour’s acreage which had a low electric fence. They were so fixated on chasing each other that they went through the electric fence, even breaking a three inch wooden post. One of the llamas got the wire around his neck and lay there screaming every time he got zapped. Once I got it off of him, he wouldn’t even step over the electric fence wire that was lying on the ground. A three foot high fence is not really high enough to keep a llama in, ours are about four feet, but they are wooden rails. They can jump that but don’t normally. If your llama turns out to be a good sheep guard, there is no way he will go over the fence and leave the sheep. Grooming brushes Q. What type of brush is best to use on llamas? We have done a lot of reading and nothing says what is best. Our llama is getting several matted spots on his back. A. A pin brush or a slicker brush work best. Some of the dog grooming brushes will work fine and are easily obtained.

There are a number of llama suppliers on our links page if you are unable to find brushes locally. Don’t overdo brushing out matted areas as they are going to pull the fibre and your llama may get fed up. You don’t want to make it an uncomfortable process for the llama. Sometimes it is better to cut off some of the matted areas Loads Q. How much weight can a llama carry? A. It depends on how heavy the load is. They can easily carry about a quarter of their body weight so if you figured that the animal weighed about 350 pounds then he could easily carry about 80 pounds if he was in good shape. If you put too much weight on a llama, most of them are smart enough to just lie down and refuse to get up. Obviously you wouldn’t put this much weight on an animal the first time. You would want to start with a light pack and gradually add a little more weight each time you did a training session until he is comfortable with a full pack. Chungara in this photo has a comfortable load in his pack. We were only going out for a few days so we didn’t need a whole big load of gear. For more information see: Do llamas swim? A.

Llamas can swim, but they don’t do it normally. The countries where they are native do not have a lot of water, the high areas of the Andes are very desert-like actually. I remember seeing photos a few years ago of someone taking their llamas swimming in a pond on their property, but he had trained them to go into the water. Most often the llamas will jump over a creek rather than go through the water until they are trained to walk through the water. The photo on the right was taken in Patagonia and shows two guanacos standing in a pond and a couple more on the shore. They are not very large in the photo as I didn’t want to get too close and scare them off. These small ponds are usually not very deep, maybe a foot and a half so the guanacos don’t swim in them but they sometimes stand in the water for quite a while and I assume they are grazing on water plants as well as drinking. We have never seen any of our llamas swim, but I am sure they could if they had to. We have some photos of llamas splashing through a fairly deep creek on one of our hiking pages . What colour are llamas? A.

Llamas come in quite a variety of colours from pure white to solid black, with a wonderful variety or browns, from light to dark. The browns seem to be the most common colours. Some llamas will be all one colour while others will have patches of two or three different colours. Occasionally you will see an appaloosa with lots of spots. The samples below show just some of the varieties of colours gathered from a few of the llamas on our farm. These are by no means the only colours that llamas come in, we didn’t have a sample of a lighter gray for example. What colour is llama milk? A. This question seems to going around as a trivia question lately. Llama milk is white, just like any other milk. The first milk, or colostrum, is very thick and is a creamy colour, but the normal milk looks exactly like any other milk. Occasionally people ask if you can drink llama milk. It is possible but most female llamas do not have an excess amount of milk, they have enough for their offspring and that is all. Their udders are fairly small and the nipples are sometimes tiny, looking not much bigger than raisins on some animals.

If a female has too much milk, perhaps the cria is small, or the female just has a lot of milk, we will milk off her excess and freeze the milk in one ounce lots. This milk is extremely valuable when someone has a problem with a female with little or no milk. A number of crias in our area have been saved this way as a few members of our local llama club have reserves of milk which they will share. If a female has too much milk for the cria to keep up with, it is important to milk off the excess as there is a possibility that she could get mastitis and then the problem can become extremely serious. For more information see: Are there shows about llamas? A. Animal Planet (part of the Discovery Network) has done two TV shows about llamas  one about Diane White-Crane, the Llama Lady, and her llamas Dudley and Sammy, and another about Sandy Stillwell and her llama Charlie. Both have been shown eight times in late 2000 and early 2001, and may be shown again. Both shows are really well done and are worth watching. A Day in the Life of a Llama (about Dudley, Sammy and Diane the Llama Lady).

Llama Love Story (about Charlie the Llama). Walt Disney has a movie featuring a llama, called The Emperor’s New Groove about a young, wise-guy know-it all emperor who gets turned into a llama with an attitude, and learns all about the value of friendship and loyalty, etc. How do they get along with new dogs? A. Llamas usually don’t like dogs much until they are familiar with them. Once they are used to a family dog, they mostly tolerated it, but we have some that will always try and stomp the dog, no matter how many years the dog has been around. We recently acquired a new dog. Sebastian is really good around other animals and has ignored the llamas pretty well since he arrived. We got him used to some of the llamas who were in smaller groups and after about five days I decided to let him visit the larger groups. In the photo on the left he is running for his life with a whole herd of two-year-old females after him. Actually they were just trying to sniff him, but there were several of the older females who tried to stomp him when he was in their field.

Even Pizarro who is a gelding that we take hiking and is used to various dogs has chased poor Sebsastian and tried to stomp him. I think that Sebastian still thinks that the llamas just want to play with him, but he will soon learn to keep his distance once he gets kicked. Herd combinations and ages Q. What is the best age and gender to get for a pet llama (used for occasional hiking and companionship for smaller livestock). I suppose a better inquiry would be, what are the variations between male and female temperament? What is the best combination for two companion llamas  I'm assuming two females? A. There is no best age but you would want to make sure that the llama is weaned. We usually wean between six and eight months of age and unless mom does it herself it is sometimes a little stressful for some of them. After they have been weaned a month or so they usually are a little more confident and would adapt to different surroundings more easily. As far as temperament, females are usually calmer than males, as males tend to fight more to establish dominance, particularly if there are some females around. A male by himself has no reason to fight.

For two companion animals, a couple of females get along with no problems at all normally. A couple of males would get along but they would wrestle and chase each other around which is typical male behaviour. In fact, right now we have a visiting gelding that jumped the fence and got in with three other geldings and they have been chasing around all afternoon and there is still the occasional screaming match going on, but they will settle down in a day or so. Otherwise he will be back in a field by himself again. Costwise, you would be best to get a couple of males and then when they are about two years old, get them gelded. When they are about three, have their fighting teeth removed and you should have two good, and safe, animals. Just be very careful if you buy males to make sure that they haven’t been handled too much when they were babies as they can imprint on humans and this can cause problems later on. Also, if you were to purchase a couple of young males, no hugging and cuddling them, no matter how cute and cuddly they seem. Follow-up Q. Also, is it best to buy an adult pre-trained llama or to train it yourself? A.

Llamas are very smart and willing to learn so if you wanted to train them yourself, I would suggest that you look into clicker training. This is a system where you first have to have the animal trust you enough to eat a little grain out of your hand. Then you ask the animal to do something, such as touch a target with their nose. As soon as they touch it, you click the clicker and give them a little grain. You would be amazed at how quickly they learn that the click means that they have done what you wanted them to do. After a while, you change the target to a halter and it is not long until they will stick their nose into it for you. Getting them to load into a trailer using this method is a non-event as opposed to dragging and shoving a scared animal into a trailer. There is lots of information on clicker training on the internet, much of it having to do with dogs, but the methods are the same. Jim and Amy Logan have some wonderful videos which are available from their web site. There is a link on our links page under Llama Training.

Training them yourself gives you confidence and the llama learns to trust you, whereas buying a trained animal may be easy but the animal doesn’t know who you are and you don’t know what signals the llama may be looking for when you want it do do something. I am not saying to go and buy an animal that has never been handled, it should be used to a halter and lead easily. Follow-up Q. Do llamas ever have a tendency to be aggressive towards humans? A. Not normally, that is why you don’t want one that has been handled too much when it was young. Humans will cause a male llama to be aggressive by cuddling it and babying it when it is small and when it becomes mature, it may be confused as it identifies too much with humans. All of a sudden the human is competition and male llamas at that age fight pretty roughly, their fighting fangs are designed to try and castrate the competition. 'Nuff said? Follow-up Q. I understand llamas are usually standoffish, however, do they show affection or really trust their owner to the point of listening to commands? A. I have often said that you don’t own llamas, they own you.

They don’t show affection like a cat or a dog will, but in actual fact, you don’t want them to show too much affection. You want them to be a llama. they are very gentle and will come up to you and sniff your hair or sniff your face. This is known as a llama kiss and when you are visiting a farm and one does this to you, you are hooked, so be warned. If this happens (or maybe when this happens) and you decide that you just have to have this one, you might be wise to buy one of its buddies as it makes the separation from the herd a little easier. They don’t normally want to be touched, especially around the eyes and ears. Once they learn to trust you, and this can take some time, you can run your hand over them and they will tolerate it. Using a clicker can really accelerate this process. You can train them for voice commands as well as hand signals. The videos I mentioned will astound you if you have never seen anything on this method. Being gentle with the animals and getting them to trust you can take a long time, particularly if they have learned not to trust humans earlier or if they have had some bad experiences with humans.

We bought an older female at an auction many years ago and she was so miserable that we renamed her Bitch Cassidy as she would spit at anyone that came anywhere near her. We just left her alone, never forcing her to do anything and being really kind to her. She must have been really mistreated somewhere down the line as it took years to gain her trust. Then one year she got a bad cut on her eyelid and the vet had to give her a shot of anethsetic in her eyelid and then sewed it up and then had to give her a antibiotic shot. You could hear the spit gurgling up and when the vet was finished she walked calmly out of the barn and spat out into the field. After that we had to lift the eyelid every day for about three weeks and put some ointment in her eye. She would just lie in the barn and let us do it without even putting a halter on her. We would leave and she wouldn’t even get up. Now that is trust. By then we had changed her name back to Laura, her original name. Search our site!

This search engine looks for a single word or phrase in the site, it is not designed to input a question. A Campaign for Real Milk Brochure - A Campaign for Real MilkA Campaign for Real Milk A Campaign for Real Milk Brochure A Campaign for Real Milk Brochure Posted on January 1, 2000 Last Modified on November 1, 2013 Read this in French , German , Spanish . Read the “Why a Campaign for Real Milk?” section in Polish . A Campaign for Real Milk Pasture-Fed * Unprocessed * Full-Fat A Campaign for Real Milk is a project of The Weston A. Price Foundation , PMB 106-380, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016. For sources of Real Milk call (202) 363-4394 or visit . What Is Real Milk? Real Milk comes from real cows. The source of most commercial milk is the modern Holstein,* bred to produce huge quantities of milk–three times as much as the old-fashioned cow. She needs special feed and antibiotics to keep her well.

Her milk contains high levels of growth hormone from her pituitary gland, even when she is spared the indignities of genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone to push her to the udder limits of milk production. *Please note, there are farmers who produce excellent “Real Milk” using older lines of Holsteins and Holstein crosses (Holsteins who can survive on grass are “old-fashioned”). It is the modern commercial Holstein, bred only for quantity, not quality, and pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, that should be avoided. Know your supplier! Ask questions! Join A Campaign for Real Milk: Buy only milk from old-fashioned breeds of cows, such as but not limited to Jerseys, Guernseys, Red Devons, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorns, Dutch Belted, or older genetic lines of Holsteins, or from goats or sheep. (Or, depending on what part of the world you live in, from llamas, camels, mares, donkeys, water buffalo, or reindeer!) Real Milk comes from real cows that eat real feed. Real feed for cows is green grass in Spring, Summer and Fall; stored dry hay, silage, hay and root vegetables in Winter.

It is not soy meal, cottonseed meal or other commercial feeds, nor is it bakery waste, chicken manure or citrus peel cake, laced with pesticides. Vital nutrients like vitamins A and D, and Price’s “Activator X” (a fat-soluble catalyst that promotes optimum mineral assimilation, now believed to be vitamin K2) are greatest in milk from cows eating green grass, especially rapidly growing green grass in the spring and fall. Vitamins A and D are greatly diminished, and Activator X disappears, when milk cows are fed commercial feed. Soy meal has the wrong protein profile for the dairy cow, resulting in a short burst of high milk production followed by premature death. Most milk (even most milk labeled “organic”) comes from dairy cows that are kept in confinement their entire lives and never see green grass! Join A Campaign for Real Milk: Buy only milk products from herds allowed to graze on green pasture. Real Milk is not pasteurized.

Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Calves fed pasteurized milk do poorly and many die before maturity. Raw milk sours naturally but pasteurized milk turns putrid; processors must remove slime and pus from pasteurized milk by a process of centrifugal clarification. Inspection of dairy herds for disease is not required for pasteurized milk. Pasteurization was instituted in the 1920s to combat TB, infant diarrhea, undulant fever and other diseases caused by poor animal nutrition and dirty production methods. But times have changed and modern stainless steel tanks, milking machines, refrigerated trucks and inspection methods make pasteurization absolutely unnecessary for public protection. And pasteurization does not always kill the bacteria for Johne’s disease suspected of causing Crohn’s disease in humans with which most confinement cows are infected. Much commercial milk is now ultra-pasteurized to get rid of heat-resistant bacteria and give it a longer shelf life.

Ultra-pasteurization is a violent process that takes milk from a chilled temperature to above the boiling point in less than two seconds. Clean raw milk from certified healthy cows is available commercially in several states and may be bought directly from the farm in many more. (Sources are listed on Join A Campaign for Real Milk: Demand access in all states to clean, raw milk. Boycott processed milk! Real Milk is not homogenized. Homogenization is a process that breaks down butterfat globules so they do not rise to the top. Homogenized milk has been linked to heart disease. Join A Campaign for Real Milk: Use only milk with “Cream on the Top.” Real Milk contains butterfat, and lots of it! Average butterfat content from old-fashioned cows at the turn of the century was over 4% (or more than 50% of calories). Today butterfat comprises less than 3% (or less than 35% of calories). Worse, consumers have been duped into believing that low-fat and skim milk products are good for them.

Only by marketing low-fat and skim milk as a health food can the modern dairy industry get rid of its excess poor-quality, low-fat milk from modern high-production herds. Butterfat contains vitamins A and D needed for assimilation of calcium and protein in the water fraction of the milk. Without them protein and calcium are more difficult to utilize and possibly toxic. Butterfat is rich in short- and medium chain fatty acids which protect against disease and stimulate the immune system. It contains glyco-spingolipids which prevent intestinal distress and conjugated linoleic acid which has strong anticancer properties. Join A Campaign for Real Milk: Buy only full-fat milk products. Real Milk contains no additives. Powdered skim milk, a source of dangerous oxidized cholesterol and neurotoxic amino acids, is added to 1% and 2% milk. Low-fat yogurts and sour creams contain mucopolysaccharide slime to give them body. Pale butter from hay-fed cows contains colorings to make it look like vitamin-rich butter from grass-fed cows. Bioengineered enzymes are used in large-scale cheese production. Many mass produced cheeses contain additives and colorings and imitation cheese products contain vegetable oils.

Join A Campaign for Real Milk: Boycott counterfeits. Real Milk can save family farms. Pasteurization laws favor large, industrialized dairy operations and squeeze out small farmers. When farmers have the right to sell unprocessed milk to consumers, they can make a decent living, even with small herds. Why a Campaign for Real Milk? Back in the 1970s, a couple of blokes were sitting in an English pub, bemoaning the consolidation of the brewing industry in England and the decline of British beer and ale. A commodity that represented the soul of Britain–carefully brewed ales from countless small-scale manufacturers, each with a distinctive color and taste–had been edged out by the insipid canned beers of a few large monopolistic breweries. What was needed, they decided, was a return to traditional brewing methods. They launched A Campaign for Real Ale, which soon became the force that turned back the mega-brewers and reinstated varied and delicious ales to English tables and pubs. Back in the 20s, Americans could buy fresh raw whole milk, real clabber and buttermilk, luscious naturally yellow butter, fresh farm cheeses and cream in various colors and thicknesses.

Today’s milk is accused of causing everything from allergies to heart disease to cancer, but when Americans could buy Real Milk, these diseases were rare. In fact, a supply of high-quality dairy products was considered vital to American security and the economic well being of the nation. What’s needed today is a return to humane, non-toxic, pasture-based dairying and small-scale traditional processing, in short . . .A Campaign for Real Milk. Real Milk–Nature’s Perfect Food Galen, Hippocrates, Pliny, Varro, Marcellus Empiricus, Bacchis and Anthimus, leading physicians of their day, all used raw milk in the treatment of disease. During the 1920s, Dr. J. E. Crewe of the Mayo Foundation used a diet of raw milk to cure TB, edema, heart failure, high blood pressure, prostate disease, urinary tract infections, diabetes, kidney disease, chronic fatigue and obesity. Today, in Germany, successful raw milk therapy is provided in many hospitals.

Studies show that children fed raw milk have more resistance to TB than children fed pasteurized milk (Lancet, p 1142, 5/8/37); that raw milk is very effective in preventing scurvy and protecting against flu, diphtheria and pneumonia (Am J Dis Child, Nov 1917); that raw milk prevents tooth decay, even in children who eat a lot of sugar (Lancet, p 1142, 5/8/37); that raw milk is better than pasteurized milk in promoting growth and calcium absorption (Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 518, p 8, 1/33); that a substance present in raw cream (but not in pasteurized cream) prevents joint stiffness and the pain of arthritis (Annual Review of Biochemistry, 18:435, 1944); and that children who drink raw milk have fewer allergic skin problems and far less asthma than children who drink pasteurized milk (Lancet 2001 358(9288):1129-33).

Feeding Camelids While the following is particularly directed at the Llama, most is applicable to the alpaca and other members of the genus Lama. In their native environs, the alpaca shows a grazing preference toward moist lush forages, while Llamas will tend to prefer more coarse dry vegetation, being more of "cafeteria style" eaters. Llamas are much easier to feed and care for than most livestock. Because they are grazers of both grass and forbs and browsers of shrubs and trees, they are much more flexible in their choice of diet. Llamas, like other South American camelids (SAC), are more efficient at converting plant material into usable protein and energy than sheep and cattle, and are less prone to medical problems associated with feeding, such as bloat and grain overload (acidosis). As a practicing/teaching veterinarian, the author's nutritional recommendations are aimed at the overall long-term health of Llamas. Because they are more efficient at converting plant material to usable energy, Llamas may easily become over-conditioned through excessive feeding.

Llamas in their natural environment do not routinely carry the abundance of fat that many North American Llamas are currently doing, a situation which should be avoided. Over-fed Llamas are often difficult to breed, having more problems in conception, delivery and lactation. In addition, their total life span is likely compromised. Basic SAC Digestive Anatomy and Physiology All living creatures ingest their food, digest it by various means, absorb the majority and excrete the balance. The Llama is a modified ruminant herbivore that ingests plant material and digests it in a unique, three-compartment stomach. The llama's stomach is functionally similar but anatomically different from that of true ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats). The first compartment is essentially a huge fermentation vat which, through enzymatic and microbial processes, enables separation of plant material into readily digestible basic nutrients and semi-digestible cellulose. The basic nutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) are either absorbed directly or further broken down into simple sugars, amino acids or fatty acids. Cellulose is utilized by bacteria and protozoa in the fermentation vat to replicate their vast numbers. The resultant microbial protein is then digested.

Beyond the stomach, Llamas are not notably unique in their digestive anatomy and physiology, however the relatively slow gastrointestinal transit time, efficient water absorption and pelleted feces all contribute to digestive superiority. General Llama Nutrition All feedstuffs yield variable amounts of carbohydrates (energy), proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. The Llama's requirement for these is influenced by age, demands for resting body maintenance, anticipated growth, activity, workload, state of pregnancy, lactation and environmental temperature. Providing optimum energy and protein is the basis for any llama feeding program. Like most herbivores, Llamas are limited to an absolute maximum daily dry matter intake. For the llama, this figure appears to be 1.8-2.0% of body weight. Energy Forage (pasture and hay or browse) should be a major contributor of energy to the diet. For certain circumstances, cereal grains (corn, oats, barley, etc) may be used as supplemental high energy sources. Energy requirements vary according to body size. In general, feeding efficiency for body maintenance increases with animal size.

Metabolism studies at Colorado State University have determined that the maintenance energy requirement for Llamas is 84.5 Kcal/BW.75 (kg). Energy content of common feedstuffs have been or can be readily determined by analysis. Table I lists caloric energy values of some common forages. Using examples of animals weighing 110 lb (55 kg), 220 lb (100 kg) and 330 lb (150 kg) one can appreciate that efficiency of body energy maintenance increases with body size. Of particular note is the fact that springtime pastures are extremely high in energy content. Unless animals are growing, in late gestation, early lactation, extremely athletic, or exposed to prolonged cold temperatures, they should not be allowed free choice access to quality forages, or be supplemented with concentrates. Protein The Llama's protein requirement is relatively low. Protein in adequate quantity and quality is necessary to replace aging body proteins and produce new protein for muscle, fiber and milk.

Because Llamas have an exceptional ability to recycle and utilize urea (the major by-product of normal protein breakdown in the body), they can do extremely well on a maintenance diet of 8 to 10% crude protein. Growing weanlings, advanced pregnant and nursing mothers require a 10 to 12% protein ration. A baby who must be weaned early for some reason will benefit from a 16% protein ration, gradually reduced to 12% by six months of age to maturity. Table 2 lists several commonly used feedstuffs and their important macro-nutrient contents on a dry matter basis. Notice the wide variation of protein content. In most cases, quality grass hays will suffice to provide adequate protein intake. When protein supplementation is deemed necessary, incorporation of alfalfa hay (up to 1/3 of the forage ration) will be adequate. The advantage of staying with an all-forage diet lies principally in that crude fiber in the total diet will not be markedly reduced. It is important not to exceed 1/3 of the total diet in alfalfa so as to not be feeding excessive protein as well as to prevent excessive intake of calcium relative to phosphorus.

Bear in mind that protein content of pasture and browse vary with the season. In spring, when plants are actively growing, protein content and quality is greater than at maturity. Again, be cautious about overfeeding protein as it is wasteful for the owner and a metabolic burden to the animal. While no feeding trials have to date been performed, it is the author's opinion that using nonprotein nitrogen sources (urea or biuret) should not be considered. Fiber As with conventional ruminants, the SAC have an important need for adequate fiber in their diet. At this point, it would appear that the total diet should be approximately 25% or more of crude fiber. Based on observations from conventional ruminant species, lack of adequate fiber reduces gastric performance and seems to have a correlation with gastric or duodenal ulcers. Forages in general are the principle source of fiber, with grains generally being deficient for providing the level deemed important in Ilamas. Water Ideally, fresh and clean water should be made available free choice at all times, however Ilamas are relatively tolerant to a degree of water deprivation. On the trail, one good drink a day will suffice. Depending on activity, environmental temperature and feed (i.e.

green pasture vs dry hay), daily intake varies from 5 to 8% of body weight (i.e. 2 to 3 gallons for a 300 lb Ilama). Llamas may be reluctant to drink from unclean containers, including automatic watering cups. Salt In most all management circumstances, loose salt should be offered free choice in a container sheltered from weather. Salt should be iodized except in areas where iodine deficiency is not known to occur. Trace mineralized salt is better than plain salt but should not to be considered as a mineral supplement. Combining salt with minerals (Table 3) has worked well to both encourage consumption as well as minimize over-consumption. Calcium and Phosphorus A balanced daily intake of calcium and phosphorus is important, particularly to maximize growth of youngsters and for adult reproductive performance. The desired dietary balance of calcium:phosphorus normally is 1.2-2.0: 1, which is commonly found in many grass hays/pastures. Because need for mineral supplements varies with forage diet, forage analysis is ideal on which to base any specific mineral incorporation.

A relatively simple, inexpensive mineral mix that meets the needs of most Llamas on grass pasture is found in Table 3. This mix is meant to be offered free choice, with no other supplements (mineral or salt) being available. While consumption of mineral mixes may initially be limited, most Llamas will generally consume up to I oz/animal/day. Modifications of the basic mineral mix are outlined in Table 4. Grass hay, cereal grain hays and cereal grains provide significant amounts of phosphorus unless they originate from phosphorus-deficient soils. Some notes of caution Abnormal bone growth can result from deficiencies of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D as well as imbalances of calcium to phosphorus. Excessive phosphorus intake may predispose animals, especially males, to urinary tract stones. Vitamins Properly cured hay normally contains sufficient vitamins A, D and K but supplemental vitamin-mineral mixes can be offered to cover potential deficiencies. Research indicates that vitamin E is quickly lost in cured forages, making it necessary to supplement. It is believed that normal healthy Ilamas synthesize adequate B vitamins during digestion. Trace Minerals Whether deficient or excessive, selenium, zinc, magnesium, cobalt and copper are significant diet factors.

It is imperative that you consult a local nutritionist, county agent or veterinarian to learn if specific supplementation or reduction of these nutrients is required in your area. For example, too much selenium in the diet can cause alkali disease and "blind staggers", while too little can cause white muscle disease or interference with growth, reproduction and lactation. Feeding Recommendations There are unlimited feeding options and combinations. Cost, local availability, and nutrient balance must all be considered in designing your own program. Forage analysis is the backbone of your feeding program. Although Ilamas appear to be quite adaptable to a wide range of feeding schedules, including free choice and once-a-day feedings, regularity is important. The following are some thoughts on the major options and considerations. Hay Because of its high protein content and relative availability, alfalfa hay is a popular food consideration for Llamas. Keep in mind, however, that it is not the panacea forage for all Llamas. Cost may be excessive, and protein content certainly is, especially if it is overfed.

For example, if the analysis of your alfalfa hay indicates a 16% protein content but your Llamas eat only the leaves because you are feeding too generously, in all likelihood their protein intake actually exceeds 24%. Reduce the portion so they will eat the less protein-rich stem as well. Better yet, consider feeding alfalfa as a supplement rather than the total forage intake. Quality oat hay, pea hay, fescue, brome, timothy, orchard grass, clover hay and even some straw are viable options. When buying hay, look for the following: Color - An interior bale color of pure green (most vitamin A, D and E have been destroyed in pale green to yellow hay). Leafiness - Lots of leaves (that's where the protein is). Moisture - Softness, palatability and digestibility are greatly influenced by moisture content. Improper curing results in excess moisture causing hay to mold within three weeks after baling. Ideal hay moisture content is 12% or less. Smell - Look for that good "fresh" smell. Musty or moldy odors can spell problems. Mold - Never feed moldy hay.

Dust - Avoid dusty hay but if there is no alternative, sprinkle flakes with water. Nutrient testing of your hay supplies is a good investment. Pasture Pasture varies greatly from one area to the next, depending on climate and soil conditions. In addition, unless irrigated and fertilized it will vary tremendously during the growing season. Pastures and hay fields need to be fertilized occasionally. Your county extension agent can advise you on how to do a soil analysis and fertilize your pasture. Timothy, brome or orchard grass with a little bluegrass, white clover, and/or alfalfa, makes a good Llama pasture. Free choice pasture allowing maximum dry matter intake may well be excessive nutrition for most of your Llamas. Complete Rations Some Ilama owners choose to feed commercially prepared, completely formulated pelleted rations. Although expensive, it is simple and convenient. If not fed in combination with hay or pasture, be sure the complete ration contains at least 25% roughage (e.g. alfalfa pellets). Although these rations may be nutritionally sufficient, they still lack bulk and will leave your Ilamas looking for more. Don't be tempted to overfeed the ration.

Because these rations will generally be pelleted, Ilamas may occasionally choke-a very undesirable consequence. Special Feeding Situations Changing Feed Any change in your feeding program should be implemented gradually. When switching from one hay to another, or even from the bales of one cutting to the bales of another, it is advisable to mix the two together, gradually increasing the amount of new hay. Late Gestation and Lactation In the last 2.5-3 months of pregnancy, a gradual introduction of cereal grain (oats, corn, etc) could be given to a maximum of one pound daily with a simultaneous reduction of forage. Continue this level of nutrition for the first three months of lactation with a gradual reduction until weaning. If your Ilama is already fat, by no means offer her a grain supplement! The Bottle Fed Baby Premature, weak or orphaned babies must be monitored closely so that individual needs, which can vary greatly, are met. Bottle feeding should be minimized because of the bottlefed Ilama's strong tendency to imprint on and become aggressive toward people. If bottle feeding is necessary, the author recommends the baby receive 10% of its body weight in colostrum (ex.

25# cria gets 40 ounces) in 2 to 3 feedings within the first 6 to 8 hours, but certainly before 18 hours of life. Colostrum is the new mother's sweet, thick, first milk secretion. The baby's survival is dependent upon receiving colostrum for immunological protection against disease, and for important nutritional starters (lactose for energy, vitamin A and some fat). Goat or cow colostrum may be substituted if Ilama colostrum is not available, but it is imperative that only first milking colostrum from any species source be used. Beginning the second day, the baby Ilama should receive no less than 10% of its body weight per day in goat milk if Ilama milk is unavailable. A second choice is "Land O'Lakes" lamb-milk replacer, preferably non-medicated, (diluted 1:6 parts water), or a comparably constituted product. Extreme caution should be taken regarding cleanliness of equipment associated with bottle and tube feeding. The Growing Baby Llama babies just two to three weeks old will nibble at forages.

It appears they are not effective consumers of feedstuffs, however, until two months of age. Young Ilamas generally eat with their moms, but creep feeders with limit fed 16% protein grain and hay mixes may be used effectively from three months of age to weaning. Watch the baby's calcium:phosphorus balance as crooked legs may result from inadequate phosphorus intake caused by excess calcium in the diet, especially in alfalfa hay. A free-choice mineral supplement with phosphorus is crucial during this rapid growth period. The Weaned Mother Young Ilamas are usually weaned at 4 to 6 months of age when the mother is well beyond peak milk production and is approximately 3 to 5 months pregnant. She should be on a maintenance diet only, which is nicely satisfied by grass or oat hay. Tapering off any grain feeding and stopping it completely at the time of weaning will aid in reducing milk flow. The Malnutritioned Llama Classically it is assumed that malnutrition means underfeeding. However, in Ilamas there are two extremes as overfeeding, unfortunately, is becoming more common. Overfeeding can cause animals to overheat in hot weather and have fertility or birthing problems.

The "underfed" Ilama may not be simply underfed, but rather undernourished because some anatomical, physiological or disease condition causes poor utilization of food. If the principle problem is that they are being fed nutritionally inadequate food, a careful and gradual increase of dietary intake should take place under supervision of a veterinarian or nutritionist to bring feeding up to optimum levels. The Fat Llama A target weight is to be established for the fat individual. Total control of dietary intake is assumed. One percent of target body weight in dry matter forage is offered along with free choice minerals (Table 3). If more than one individual is being dieted, be sure to provide adequate bunk space so as to minimize competition. Prevention of fat Ilamas is easier than the treatment. Cold Weather Considerations Normally most Ilamas are not on full rations (i.e. 1.8% of body weight) of dry matter forage year around. When truly cold weather (below freezing) settles in, then a switch to free choice consumption will generally be adequate. For the truly unique situation requiring increased caloric density plus free choice forage, up to I lb/animal of cereal grains (corn/oats/ barley) could be offered.

Heat Stress Prevention Since the heat increment production from forage digestion is greater than for concentrates, careful use of grains during hot humid weather along with reduction of hay consumption should have a favorable effect. However, crude fiber intake still needs to approach 25% of diet. The state of the art of Ilama nutrition is currently based on extrapolation from work in South America, nutritional trials using North American feedstuffs, and opinion based on observations and experiences here in North America. The foregoing will hopefully serve as a guide to keep your Ilama's nutrition in a middle-of-theroad path. Good common sense and attentive daily care goes a long way in raising a well-fed (not overfed) and content Ilama. Table 1. Feedstuff caloric values (dry matter basis) amount (lb DM) and % BW to meet daily maintenance energy requirements of 110 lb, 220 lb, and 330 lb Ilamas FEEDSTUFF

Question: What colour is Llamas milk?
Answer: Yellow